Take Back Your Public Space – Street Advertising Takeover Hits Madrid
MaSAT - I notice the brain of the crazy monkey making ice cubes with a flowing river... I notice how this dream is too real for me.
Madrid in early Spring is a beautiful place. However, on the morning of March 30th, a group of over 100 artists decided to do some Spring cleaning of their own around the cities bus shelters. It was a cleansing of the mind so to speak. Armed with nothing other than T wrenches and posters, the members of the MaSAT (Madrid Street Advertising Takeover) project replaced over 100 signs in less than an hour.
The MaSAT project is the third a series of civil disobedience projects inspired by the vision of the Public AdCampaign, a group whose mission is to take back the visual space
Toronto SAT- Stop Thinking Now
that belongs to communities from the hands of outdoor advertising. The group sent an “open call to a list of artists, sociologists, teachers, lawyers, gallerists, bloggers, and other individuals who think deeply about what it means to have an open public environment.” They sent their submission
NYSAT - Delete
s in several languages with the rule that they must be anonymous and not affiliate the submission with any logo, or website [see MaSAT about page].
The Public AdCampaign has led street advertising takeovers in New York, Toronto and Madrid. They accept proposals for new projects and offer start up funds for those that engage a wide public audience while critically discussing issues surrounding outdoor advertising.
(Thanks to Paz Alejandra Melendez-Canales for translating the Spanish)
36 Responses to Take Back Your Public Space – Street Advertising Takeover Hits Madrid
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Ali S says:
I really like the abstract placement of these art pieces. Not only was a city wall a good ‘canvas’ but there were also pieces in an advertisement space. I also like that the group responsible for taking back the visual space of the community is also offering funding for a select few artists.
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Eve says:
With the overload of company advertising we are subject to every day, this project is refreshing and original. It is so nice to not have to seen a hundred different ads all trying to convince me I need this or I have to look like that. Pieces that get people to reconsider how they think are my definition of truly inspirational. Also the placement, such as bus stops, is a great idea. It will effect a mass amount of people. Taking back the visual space that companies have taken over is a great cause! Keep up the good work.
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Gabriella Johnson says:
I love the fact that art has been replaced with commerical ads. Its a breathe of fresh air! Business are taking over with all the buy this and buy that, that we ge caught up in everyday things. Great idea to take our minds back, and using art to do it was a great choice!
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Danielle Stewart says:
Wow the change that this will create for peoples minds is unimaginable. There are going to be so many fresh ideas that will posted and none of this repeated junk food adds or pointless large company advertising that doesn’t allow people to think about other peoples opinions that could can be passed on. I think that more cities should use this as a way of communicating with each other. Why shouldn’t the outside world be open to words and art that will question society, rather than selfish advertisement we see so much that doesn’t give back to the community and make people open up. Why not be opened up and seeing different artists ideas of change everyday instead of hearing it. I think this idea could create more individually in the art world, and is the perfect way for all kinds of people to speak out through art.
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Sindy says:
It must’ve felt amazing walking down the street in Madrid in March 30th reading inspiring words and thoughts of great thinkers who spent quality time sharing their task to the public. The words are powerful that could easily change the mood of anyone. Positive thoughts and words are the best thing that anyone could get and this is what makes us positive and gives us motivation to continue with our lives. I love this idea, I strongly hope that this project will soon be spread throughout the world!
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Juliana says:
Thanks for sharing this post. What a good idea changing all the posts and replacing them with art. Looks so much better without all the propaganda around town. I wish we could see that more often and learn to apreciate art instead of clothes or junk food
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Kellie F says:
It is always frustrating for me to see the same advertisements everyday. The repetition is extremely boring and way overused. I wish more places can express their minds through art work like this. It is fun and refreshing to see inspiring thoughts of people and their different viewpoints. It allows people to see the beauty of art and less negative thoughts. Most areas are so trashy nowadays, no one seems to care. It is good to see people stepping up and appreciating art. I think art should take over more places
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Hieu Vo says:
This is a new way to express people opinions.I totally agreed with Kelly F about the same advertisements every corner or bus stops. It’s time for new advertisements that gives something for people to think about!!
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Amanda Reinhardt says:
I think this is a great idea. I am wondering how to do this in the town I live in. I drive by and see quite a few billboards and posters about companies and other people’s ideas, why not place the communities ideas up for everyone to see? Why not put up things that have to do with the community or communities around? Or why not take the billboards down? No one would make money that way and today making money is everything.
The piece of art I like the most out of these three is the Stop Thinking Now sign. I think people think too much. I tell my family all the time to stop thinking so much and just let it be, to not worry about it, because it’s going to happen either way. I like how the signs get you to think in a different way, you have to take a look at yourself in order to do what the sign says.
I like how the signs don’t have much color. They are short, sweet, and to the point without any distractions or colors. The Stop Thinking sign doesn’t need to say stop thinking because the type of writing it is in says it all. Simple things like the writing on a piece of art can make or break the piece. An example would be if the delete in the other picture was written in a different style it wouldn’t mean what it does now. When you look at that now you think of the delete button on your keyboard. You then think when I hit delete it will be gone. If the delete was in a different style you wouldn’t get that same thinking pattern.
There is a street in San Francisco, Clarion Alley, I had just recently walked passed and had to turn around to go down because it was so different and original. Every inch of wall on both sides of the street were decorated in some type of art medium, mostly spray paint. The things people had drawn and wrote got me to really think and appreciate all different kinds of art styles and different people. Every person is different and has something different to offer. People’s imaginations are incredible. I draw but I know I could never come up with the type of things that were drawn on those walls.
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Loi says:
This is a great idea to spread the art all over the places. It is a fresh start that people should pay attention how important of art and what art means to us.
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Mary says:
This is wonderful. We are surrounded by ad campaigns every day that tell us to buy, spend money, do this, do that. The MaSAT is doing something amazing by taking a space that is public, and reclaiming it for the public. My favorite is a piece posted on their official website where, in all capital letters “THROW AWAY ART” is featured at a bus stop. It’s truly throwing the advertising industry back in it’s face and showing how important art really is for our world today. It is not something that should be done away with, which sadly is the case in many of our schools. This movement is of great importance, and I commend all who participated. How amazing!
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Makala says:
I think that this was a great idea! It must have felt so good to drive by those areas and not have all the garbage on the city. I hate that there is advertising all around me, blocking the way I see the real world and constantly in my face. I wish that we could all see more of the natural beauty in the world. Take it down a notch. I love that there goal was to make the town look better and have people relax.
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Renee Graves says:
What a wonderful idea well executed by Public AdCompaign. It is amazing to have people stepping out into the community to take back our mental space. I live in a small town were there is not much public space that is over ran with advertsing. When I visit San Francisco, I feel like I am on information overload trying to take in and understand all the ads on street corners, buses and buildings. I find myself having to explain to my kids why there is a huge picure of a guy in his under ware on the side of a building or what some words mean.
The concept of taking back visual space is amazing. I hope this group keeps working strong to take over more cities. I love the large delete key sign that was part of the NySAT. Keep up the great work!! -
Max Eliaser says: First, about the art itself: This is a very clever use of the standard advertising tricks of the trade– eye-catching bold text, surrealist slogans that must be read twice to make sense (thus increasing eyeball time,) and slick graphic design– all in an attack on the advertisers. But more importantly, it makes plain as day the central thesis of the artists:
“These walls, sign posts, phone booths, and bus stops are owned by the government, ergo they are public property, ergo they are *our* property– we are entitled to supply our own poster for this displays, and we choose to supply a poster which entertains us and which, we hope, the public will enjoy more than that which was previously here.”
If this is what they were intending to communicate, then they have successfully effected a transaction of ideas, and isn’t that what art is all about after all? So well done in that respect.
Second, about the message: While I’m not aware of the precise political arrangement in Spain, this advertising almost certainly helps subsidize upkeep of roads, and it’s probably also being used to keep public transit costs down (that’s a pretty standard arrangement in most US cities, at any rate.) You could think of it as a clever trap to trick the private economy (AKA The Man you artist types are always harping on) into providing you with such services for free or at a discount. Otherwise, it would show up in your taxes, in higher prices for services, or in government debt (which leads to inflation, which is bad.)
Of course, the uglification of public space is also a form of increased prices, and it may not be a price you’re willing to pay. That’s a legitimate concern. But be aware that this sort of thing doesn’t come free. If you want the advertising to go away, presumably so you can prevent yourself from being brainwashed and wasting money on useless crap, be prepared to instead spend the money on increased road tolls or bus fares, or have poorly-maintained roads (and spend a fortune on repairs to your car’s suspension.) Vandalizing the advertisements is the equivalent of sticking your head in the sand, it doesn’t make the underlying problem go away. -
A. Hamilton says:
All of the above comments are so insightful and were very interesting to read! I have long been a fan of (disobedient) public art as a response to the barrage of images and messages we are constantly subjected to in our daily lives.
The NYSAT “Delete” key is my favorite piece in the above collection. The idea of reclaiming public spaces is incredibly important, and by appropriating images from mass consumer culture and representing them in a new way I believe these artists are doing a public service.
That a group is taking to the streets to redefine these public images, stop people for a moment and make them think is so meaningful – and necessary – in our contemporary culture. The fact that it is done en masse, sometimes with very clever/humorous/thought-provoking details, gives it even more impact.
I am now recalling a public art response to the unfair wages and working conditions in the winery industry of Napa, where I am originally from. The pleasant facade, displays of wealth and tourism belie the difficult, low-paying lives of manual labor and service jobs that a large percentage of the town’s young people and immigrant families have to endure. A local artist made several public installments, one of which was a license plate surround that had originally read “Napa is grape!” He used Sharpie to display his own message: “Napa is crap.”
It was a simple statement, but full of meaning.
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Rebecca says:
I love this! I am so tired of seeing ads literally everywhere i go. Soon they’ll be tattooing them on the inside of our eyelids so we can be advertised to in our sleep. But seriously- i think this is a really great movement. I love street art and would love to see more of it replacing ads in my neighborhood.
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Whitney Freeman says:
I think this is such an amazing thing that this group of individuals has
done. It seems like you can’t go anywhere or do anything without being
bombarded with advertisements. I don’t think many of us realize what kind
of impact the media is having on our lives on a daily basis. Just imagine
how different things would be if all the billboards and advertisements were
replaced with artwork. Our world would be so much more beautiful and so
much less cluttered. It would be so refreshing to walk down city streets
and have something to look at and ponder about that stimulates the mind,
rather than being sold something at every turn and every corner. I can
imagine everyone slowing down their pace and taking a moment to stop and
think. I feel that our city streets are very cold and unwelcoming for the
most part, and I don’t think that advertising helps at all. If anything, I
think it makes it worse, creating clutter, overwhelming people with images
of things they “need”. It is surprising how many signs are plastered all
over the place when you actually take time to notice them all. If all of
that space was used to expose people to art rather than convince them to
buy something our world would be a very different place. -
Peter says:
This is an awesome idea. I think this should get started in Santa Rosa, CA. It is a great way to clean up a city and to promote the arts.
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Jan G. says:
Thank you for posting this! I think that it is awesome that this happened and is happening. I want to live in a world that is visually pleasing and not filled with signs directing me to buy this or that. This is truly an inspiration to take back the community we live in and get involved for the people.
I looked at the main group page, PublicAdCampaign, and am glad to see this is also happening in a couple other major cities. This is something I definitely can see in San Francisco, a place where art is always supported. Artists usually have a hard time getting their work out into the public’s eye; getting local artists involved with this idea of taking back visual space can help promote their own art as well as giving the public a different stimulus affecting their subconscious. -
Alex Boyer says:
This is awesome! this is exactly what we need. In this day and age,there is no denying that things are getting out of hand. Protests all over (the majority of it extremely violent), Economies in peril, monopoly corporations, excessive pollution, the list goes on. Non-violent occupy protests are a great start, but some (including the one in my town) have already been dispersed. However, I recently saw pictures of the protests in Egypt and Libya. Massive swarms of people taking full responsibility, going out, and mentally/physically changing the makeup of the world around them. That’s how real change takes place. Art is the greatest universal communication device among humans. and these artists are doing what has to be done, the right way. We all have to do our part. Keep up the good work!
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WOW! This is amazing that this is happening. Madrid is such a beautiful place and would turn to nothing if it were covered by all of the advertising that is seen in most US cities. Which looks like a completely new way for people to express their artwork and do it less obtrusively. This is such an amazing idea and should go all over the world. I believe that it would make the world much more prettier if that is at all possible with how much garbage there is. Anything that will make advertisements more appealing is much better for everyone around us to view.
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I think it is so great that a group of individuals in this group are doing such a great thing. I live in a city where you cannot go a block without seeing an advertisement. The media has such a huge impact on all of us. Advertisements are everywhere in our daily lives such as on the radio, television, and anywhere in public. I think it is awesome that these individuals are putting up artwork that actually means something and can make a person think. Artwork is something of importance where as advertisements are just used to sell something to its audience. Advertisements definitely take over beautiful cities and I think they should be placed over with artwork that can make places more fascinating and intriguing.
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Caroline Kurema says:
Kudos to NYSAT, this has been long coming. In a world that is so full of consumarism and materialism, we still need more advertising to get the populus to go out and consume evenn more? For me who grew up in an era when streets were not littered with advertising every which way you looked, this new intiative to provide visually pleasing streets and buildings is welcome.
I hope the giant advertisers do not come out fighting.
Good luck! -
Sabrina E. says:
I think that this movement is absolutely amazing. It shows that collectively, anything is possible and brings art to the streets, rather than the propaganda that is thrown out there by companies, government, and other relentless sources. This project is similar to other community projects that decorate neighborhoods with murals, and try to avoid the negativity that is present, and I think that it will greatly impact all who see it. Just as it does in neighborhoods that get murals, it will inspire people to do better and see the beauty in life, rather than be bombarded with advertisement.
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Lauren C says:
This is great! I am so tired of seeing the ads today that degrade women and having the ads tell us what we need to buy. These ads that these people are putting everywhere are fun and refreshing! People get a chance to put what their views of art are and they can just express how they feel. I would love to start seeing this stuff around my town because like I said before, I am tired of the same ads that society is putting out these days. It’s great seeing that people are appreciating art more!
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Blake says:
This is an awesome idea and great way to express yourself or something you truly believe in. Much respect for those who came up with the idea.
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Danielle B says:
This is an extraordinary project and I support MaSAT and their goals. I like how you were able to print the real ideas of teachers, artists, and sociologist because they are all smart intelligent people who we should be listening to instead of popular mindless Hollywood icons. I also like how all the submissions were anonymous and no affiliated with any corporation. This added to the realism of the message and the significant drama of the message. Without using an author for each quote, this allowed people to read these messages and interpret them as their own messages and not a message that someone is telling them. This allows people to be inspired and isn’t that what art is all about?
Kudos MsSAT! -
Megan Schneider says:
This article is really inspirational!I think the idea of taking back what rightfuly is the community is great! I know I for sure am sick of seeing the constant spatter of media coverage over everything now days. I think filling our streets with art work; whether it’s modern or old school art. This group is reallyu sending out a message to the people, one that really should not go unnoticed. Every where you go now days we are being crampt and overwhelmed with advertisments and corrporations telling us what to buy. This is really fresh and I think it should be done more often!
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Katherine says:
This seems really interesting! I like how it makes people think about what is advertised and posted all over their cities. It helps us be more aware of what we are looking at on a daily basis and shows how much advertising we are usually shown throughout a day. I personally enjoyed the NYSAT – “Delete” art because it is not just a piece of art covering up something but it is also clearly portraying what the artist was trying to convey. There is no question as to the meaning behind it.
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Laura C says:
Such a great and smart Idea. Sometimes i get bored at looking at the same advertisement i see in the same bus stop. it always has to be a fancy or cheap company. Almost like screaming their logo in the whole advertising. This was a very clever thing the members came up with. Having a quote or meaning that represents what we think. I also appreciate the fact that their is no author or responsible person for the add, its anonymous. Something that makes it even more better! Its our personal idea and our personal thought. We can say it without being judge. Its the new way to express or personal beliefs! Finally Having something different then the regular damn cheesy advertisement.
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Tiebe says:
I enjoyed the article due to the fact that it was short simple and straight to the point. Hopefully others will take a look at this and consider a change. I cant imagine how wonderful of a change this will be to us along with our environment, but I don’t want to imagine I would love to experience the change. Nowadays advertisement in my opinion has gone far beyond the limit it should be at.
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Helen says:
I really admire and appreciate the whole artist thing coming together to make the environment a more clean and better place. The use of art and exposing it to the world is really an eye opener. This shows how art is everywhere and needs to be noticed. Life would be a bore without art. What would we have to stare at while walking down the street without art? Art is pretty much everything if you really dig deep into the roots.
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Iris says:
I think this type of art is awesome! I love walking down the street or driving and having something to look at and make me critically think. Its nice to see something other than companies and just every day advertising. Love it love it love it. And its always fun to see an over sized “delete” sign which could or could not mean to just remove unnecessary buildings.
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